March against austerity

The People’s Assembly Against Austerity, together with the TUC Midlands, is organising a rally at the Conservative Party Conference on the 29 of September in Birmingham.

Marcella Via

Since the Conservative Party won the General Election in 2010, the British Government has engaged in aggressive austerity measures affecting the population. Such measures have been implemented on vital services, including healthcare, education and cuts on benefits.

As a consequence of these measures, during the last few years the United Kingdom has seen a dramatic increase in the so-called “zero-hour contracts”, which constrain the worker’s ability to unionise and denies them the basic rights provided by a stable contract. Cuts have also particularly affected the NHS. Indeed, during the last few years waiting times have dramatically increased in services like A&E leading the British Red Cross to declare a humanitarian crisis.

Privatisation and austerity are actively undermining people’s basic rights to such an extent that is no longer sustainable. This is why the People’s Assembly Against Austerity and TUC Midlands are organising “Join us to march and rally at the Conservative Party Conference” in Birmingham.

Their basic demands are a minimum wage of £10 an hour; to ban exploitative zero hours contracts; to fund the NHS and public services properly; to repeal the Trade Union Act which makes it harder for people to stand up for working people and to crack down on tax dodgers whose activity is starving the schools and hospitals of funding.

The organizers of the event say that “Together – we can build a growing economy for the many not the few. Together – we can nurture a society free from sexism, racism and discrimination. And together – we can win the New Deal working people are crying out for”.

Photo: Pixabay

“Join us to march and rally at the Conservative Party Conference” will take place on Saturday, 29 of September, from 11 am. to 3 pm. at Victoria Square, Birmingham. Transport from all over the United Kingdom will be arranged.

Volunteer help is needed with everything from leafleting, stewarding, press & publicity, and admin among other things. Regular meetings will be scheduled throughout the build-up to the event.